Common Resume Clichés You Should Avoid

Your resume is your first impression to potential employers, and it’s crucial to make it count. Unfortunately, many candidates unknowingly fill their resumes with overused phrases and clichés that fail to impress hiring managers. These buzzwords don’t offer specific insight into your skills or achievements and often make your resume blend in with the rest. To stand out, you need to focus on concrete examples of your abilities, rather than relying on vague phrases.

Here are some of the most common resume clichés you should avoid—and what you can do instead.

1. "Hardworking" While being hardworking is essential, simply stating it doesn’t tell employers much about what you actually bring to the table. Instead of saying you’re hardworking, demonstrate it by showcasing results.

What to do instead:

Provide specific examples where your dedication led to tangible outcomes.
Example: "Managed a team of 5 to increase sales by 30% within 6 months through dedicated follow-ups and targeted campaigns."

1. "Team Player" Many jobs require teamwork, so simply saying you’re a "team player" doesn’t differentiate you from other candidates. Employers want to see how you’ve contributed to a team and the results you achieved.

What to do instead:

Highlight a situation where your collaboration or leadership within a team led to success.
Example: "Collaborated with a cross-functional team to streamline operations, reducing project completion time by 20%."

1. "Results-Oriented" This phrase is vague and doesn’t specify what kind of results you’ve achieved or how. Employers want to know the exact results you’ve delivered in previous roles.

What to do instead:

Quantify your achievements by using specific numbers or outcomes.
Example: "Increased client retention by 15% through regular follow-ups and personalized service."

1. "Go-Getter" While being proactive is a great trait, the term "go-getter" is a buzzword that doesn’t explain how you approach tasks or challenges. Employers prefer candidates who can demonstrate initiative with clear examples.

What to do instead:

Describe a situation where you proactively identified and solved a problem.
Example: "Initiated a new customer feedback system that resulted in a 25% improvement in customer satisfaction scores."

1. "Detail-Oriented" Saying you’re "detail-oriented" won’t have much impact unless you back it up with examples of how your attention to detail benefited a project or company.

What to do instead:

Highlight a specific situation where your attention to detail made a difference.
Example: "Developed a new inventory tracking system that reduced discrepancies by 10%."

1. "Excellent Communication Skills" This is one of the most overused phrases on resumes. Employers assume that strong communication skills are a given. To stand out, you need to provide examples of how your communication skills have positively impacted your work.

What to do instead:

Provide examples of how you’ve successfully communicated in a professional setting.
Example: "Led weekly client meetings and presented key findings, contributing to a 20% increase in project approval rates."

1. "Dynamic" Describing yourself as "dynamic" doesn’t convey any real information. Employers want to see how your energy and adaptability have contributed to success in your previous roles.

What to do instead:

Give an example of how you adapted to a changing environment or took on a challenging role with enthusiasm.
Example: "Adapted quickly to a new CRM system and trained the sales team, improving sales process efficiency by 15%."

1. "Proven Track Record" While it’s great to have a proven track record, this phrase is a vague cliché unless you back it up with concrete examples of your achievements.

What to do instead:

Show your track record with numbers or clear evidence of success.
Example: "Achieved a 50% increase in annual revenue by developing a new business partnership strategy."

1. "Responsible For" Many resumes include a list of responsibilities, but hiring managers are more interested in what you accomplished rather than just what you were tasked with.

What to do instead:

Replace "responsible for" with action verbs that demonstrate what you achieved.
Example: Instead of "responsible for managing budgets," say "managed budgets exceeding $1 million, reducing expenses by 10%."

1. "Self-Starter" Saying you’re a self-starter doesn’t mean much unless you provide specific examples of when you’ve taken the initiative and how it benefited the company.

What to do instead:

Give a concrete example of a time when you took the lead on a project or initiative.
Example: "Launched a new marketing campaign independently, resulting in a 20% increase in brand awareness."
Conclusion
To create a resume that stands out, focus on replacing these common clichés with specific, measurable examples of your skills and accomplishments. By providing concrete evidence of what you’ve achieved, you’ll make a much stronger case for why you’re the right candidate for the job.

If you need additional help tailoring your resume to avoid clichés and highlight your achievements effectively, consider using professional Resume Writing Services. A professional resume writer can help you create a polished, results-driven resume that captures the attention of hiring managers.